tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748156690521830936.post3019814000346204969..comments2024-03-29T11:20:34.172+00:00Comments on Aviation of Japan 日本の航空史: Exploding Fuel Tanks by Richard L. DunnStraggler 脱走兵http://www.blogger.com/profile/10129611267271999294noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5748156690521830936.post-14754356446092136042011-09-29T14:03:51.184+01:002011-09-29T14:03:51.184+01:00Should be an interesting read, Nick. Thanks for p...Should be an interesting read, Nick. Thanks for posting this!<br /><br />Dunn has selected an ideal illustration for his cover. Reproduced in the wide crop version, the full story can be easily seen. The Jill has fallen victim to a 5" shell, almost certainly fitted with a radio-proximity fuse. The black cloud shows the point of detonation, and the splinter impact pattern is still visible as splashes on the water surface. Momentum has carried the Jill forward as it disintegrates. Few, if any, aircraft could be expected to survive such a close detonation of a heavy shell, regardless of their construction and protective systems.<br /><br />The courage of Japanese aircrew in pressing home their attacks is quite impressive, considering the effectiveness and concentration of the defenses employed by the Allied fleets.<br /><br />Both the British and the Germans were researching radio proximity fuses at the beginning of WWII. Like many other programs, the German effort was suspended in 1940, while the British work was furthered by American collaboration and production. The strategic bombing campaigns may well have been impractical had the Axis succeeded in employing proximity fuses in their AAA and arial rocket defenses.<br /><br />JeffAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com